second-hand 2015 13"MBP for 1000$ ?

[A/C]

So I've got a bit of a connundrum on my hands, and I wanted to hear your opinion.

 

I'd like to buy a laptop, the budget is around a 1000USD, it will be used mostly for media consumption and word processing, portability, battery life, and silence are pretty important, also the screen quality. Portability is a big factor too since I tend to travel a lot.

 

I don't plan to game on it seriously, maybe some occassional L4D2 once a month or so, for a couple of hours (I have a gaming PC at home which I don't even use anymore, don't have the time nor the will to play games).

 

It's important to mention that here where I live we don't have an apple store so they're pretty expensive over here.

 

I've found a second-hand (4 months old, 22 battery cycles) 2015 13" Macbook pro (the one with the force touch), with 8gigs of RAM, 256gig SSD, and the 2.7ghz i5. The guy wants a bit more than the 1000$  but the shipping is free so it almost evens-out.

 

I don't really have any experience with OSX other then playing with a hackintosh I've installed a few years ago and uninstalled after 3 days, but the battery life is great, it doesn't heat up afaik, the screen is great, and i try to justify the price with the fact that it will last me many years, as macs usually tend to do. In short I don't mind learning a new operating system, on the contrary I'd like that. I've well-versed in windows, ubuntu, and android, but not in OSX.

 

I've looked at a few macbook airs as well, but i don't like the screen and most of them come with a 128gig SSD and 4 gigs of ram at this price point here which is abysmal for me.

 

My question is, should I get the MBP, or look at a good windows alternative. (I've looked at some of them, but at this price point the battery life is awful, 5hrs at best, and none had a nearly as good hardware configuration).

 

Also currently I use an android device (SGS6+), but plan on looking into the next iphone when it comes out, since I dont tinker with electronics anymore, and just want them to "work" because of my work.

 

 

In short: like the hardware, don't mind the software, not sure if I can get something better for the price.

 

To help you guys out, the prices over here are around 15% higher than in USA.

[don_svetlio]

Macbooks aren't worth the money. Grab yourself a Lenovo Y50

[ashypanda]

it retails for $1499, and paying $1000 isn't too bad considering it's only a few months old, i'd go for it.

[A/C]

Macbooks aren't worth the money. Grab yourself a Lenovo Y50

 

I can't get the lenovo Y50 for nearly that kind of money here, and it has waaay worse battery life. It's not acceptable, it retails over here for something like 1300USD.

 

it retails for $1499, and paying $1000 isn't too bad considering it's only a few months old, i'd go for it.

 

My thoughts exactly, only over here it retails for something around 1800USD.

[don_svetlio]

I can't get the lenovo Y50 for nearly that kind of money here, and it has waaay worse battery life. It's not acceptable, it retails over here for something like 1300USD.

 

 

My thoughts exactly, only over here it retails for something around 1800USD.

Look for a 2nd hand ThinkPad.

[Philosobyte]

Another option is the XPS 13. Read reviews and decide for yourself. 

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Apple-MacBook-Pro-Retina-13-Early-2015-Notebook-Review.139621.0.html

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Dell-XPS-13-9350-InfinityEdge-Ultrabook-Review.153376.0.html

[A/C]

Another option is the XPS 13. Read reviews and decide for yourself. 

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Apple-MacBook-Pro-Retina-13-Early-2015-Notebook-Review.139621.0.html

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Dell-XPS-13-9350-InfinityEdge-Ultrabook-Review.153376.0.html

 

Of course I've researched the XPS line before i posted this, but again IT'S NOT A 1000USD, more like 2.500 for the base version new, and there aren't any second-hand for sale.

 

The XPS13 or even XPS15 would be the ideal notebooks for me if I had the money to spend on a laptop.

[A/C]

Look for a 2nd hand ThinkPad.

 

Why would a 2nd hand haswell, or even ivy-based ThinkPad be better than this Macbook?

 

I don't need the computing power on the go. Battery life, portability and build quality endurance-wise is way more important for me here.

[don_svetlio]

Why would a 2nd hand haswell, or even ivy-based ThinkPad be better than this Macbook?

Several times better build quality, more multi-media options, decent battery life, quite a bit less noise and heat on the chassis (macbooks tend to heat up) and a lot better for productivity.

[A/C]

I must disagree with you here don_svetlo.

[Philosobyte]

Of course I've researched the XPS line before i posted this, but again IT'S NOT A 1000USD, more like 2.500 for the base version new, and there aren't any second-hand for sale.

 

The XPS13 or even XPS15 would be the ideal notebooks for me if I had the money to spend on a laptop.

That's too bad. The base model XPS 13 is $800 USD in the U.S.

 

I agree that Thinkpads are competitive here, but I would skip anything Ivy-Bridge. The cons with the Thinkpads are

1. typically greater weight, footprint, and thickness (depends on which model)

2. Far worse speakers and screen, unless you get something with a 4k screen.

3. textured keyboard which becomes shiny and loses its texture after heavy use for two years, and

4. poor trackpad. 

 

Advantages for the Thinkpads are

1. Excellent keyboard typing experience

2. Excellent Trackpoint, if you can learn to use a red nub instead of a trackpad. It took me a week to get comfortable with it and I'd take it over even a MacBook trackpad any day.

3. Almost everything don_svetlio said - better thermal and noise characteristics, better connectivity, and often very good battery life. But I disagree about the build quality. I think that although Thinkpads might be more durable (though actually more likely to crack than MacBooks due to the fact that plastic doesn't malform or dent much before cracking), their build quality, their fit and finish is poorer because of looser tolerances and more susceptibility to torsion. 

[don_svetlio]

That's too bad. The base model XPS 13 is $800 USD in the U.S.

 

I agree that Thinkpads are competitive here, but I would skip anything Ivy-Bridge. The cons with the Thinkpads are

1. typically greater weight, footprint, and thickness (depends on which model)

2. Far worse speakers and screen, unless you get something with a 4k screen.

3. textured keyboard which becomes shiny and loses its texture after heavy use for two years, and

4. poor trackpad. 

 

Advantages for the Thinkpads are

1. Excellent keyboard typing experience

2. Excellent Trackpoint, if you can learn to use a red nub instead of a trackpad. It took me a week to get comfortable with it and I'd take it over even a MacBook trackpad any day.

3. Almost everything don_svetlio said - better thermal and noise characteristics, better connectivity, and often very good battery life. But I disagree about the build quality. I think that although Thinkpads might be more durable (though actually more likely to crack than MacBooks due to the fact that plastic doesn't malform or dent much before cracking), their build quality, their fit and finish is poorer because of looser tolerances and more susceptibility to torsion. 

Build quality is very high. My sister's ThinkPad has steel hinges for god's sake (not joking - actual steel) and, while heavy, has survived being dropped on the floor without so much as a scratch on it. Might not be pretty but it's functional.

Sound is meh - gaming laptops usually come with better sound systems either by dYnaudio or JBL.

Screen is okay - but I'd shoot for a 1080p IPS one

[ashypanda]

mate that macbook is stellar value as and it's spec's aren't too bad while if it had 16gb of ram that'd be better but it's still good and it's the best of both worlds as it's a reasonably priced macbook and you aren't giving money to apple.

[Philosobyte]

Build quality is very high. My sister's ThinkPad has steel hinges for god's sake (not joking - actual steel) and, while heavy, has survived being dropped on the floor without so much as a scratch on it. Might not be pretty but it's functional.

Sound is meh - gaming laptops usually come with better sound systems either by dYnaudio or JBL.

Screen is okay - but I'd shoot for a 1080p IPS one

My Thinkpad has steel hinges too, but it still cracked at the fan intake when I dropped it onto carpet to be fair it's a lower end model, an L440, which means it doesn't have a steel roll cage, but I think the roll cage only covers essential components, not a place like the fan intake. The L440 is still functional and portable, but the bottom plate/power connector sag when I lift it up. That can't be good for longevity with lots of movement.

[don_svetlio]

My Thinkpad has steel hinges too, but it still cracked at the fan intake when I dropped it onto carpet to be fair it's a lower end model, an L440, which means it doesn't have a steel roll cage, but I think the roll cage only covers essential components, not a place like the fan intake. The L440 is still functional and portable, but the bottom plate/power connector sag when I lift it up. That can't be good for longevity with lots of movement.

My sis has a T410. Not sure how the naming scheme works though.

[A/C]

That's too bad. The base model XPS 13 is $800 USD in the U.S.

 

I agree that Thinkpads are competitive here, but I would skip anything Ivy-Bridge. The cons with the Thinkpads are

1. typically greater weight, footprint, and thickness (depends on which model)

2. Far worse speakers and screen, unless you get something with a 4k screen.

3. textured keyboard which becomes shiny and loses its texture after heavy use for two years, and

4. poor trackpad. 

 

Advantages for the Thinkpads are

1. Excellent keyboard typing experience

2. Excellent Trackpoint, if you can learn to use a red nub instead of a trackpad. It took me a week to get comfortable with it and I'd take it over even a MacBook trackpad any day.

3. Almost everything don_svetlio said - better thermal and noise characteristics, better connectivity, and often very good battery life. But I disagree about the build quality. I think that although Thinkpads might be more durable (though actually more likely to crack than MacBooks due to the fact that plastic doesn't malform or dent much before cracking), their build quality, their fit and finish is poorer because of looser tolerances and more susceptibility to torsion. 

 

Tnx for the clarification, but I'm afaid I can't get a newer thinkpad for this kind of money money here. at least not one with an SSD (e550 is what I can hope for on the retail market, and that comes with a matter 1080p displat and a 5400rpm HDD, and then I have to invest in an SSD). Also the thinkpad looks much thicker, and I don't think any of them can reach the 9 hours of battery life of the MBP.

[Philosobyte]

My sis has a T410. Not sure how the naming scheme works though.

The flagship T-series Thinkpads have nearly the same chassis design and materials as the L-series Thinkpads, except with an added magnesium roll cage to protect the most important components (HDD at least. I presume the CPU and power components as well). Actually they're not advertising the roll cage in their newest models, I'm not sure if they removed it. The L-series does have worse build consistency, though.

 

In any event, I don't think the Macbook's worse noise and thermal characteristics will manifest unless you're gaming. My 2011 Macbook Air pretty much only turns on its fans when I fire up a game. They don't turn on even when I'm multitasking with 20 Chrome tabs open and word processing. Add in Photoshop to the mix and you risk the fans starting up, though. Macbooks are a versatile, well-balanced package and if you can afford them, they will probably function without major gripes. 

[don_svetlio]

The flagship T-series Thinkpads have nearly the same chassis design and materials as the L-series Thinkpads, except with an added magnesium roll cage to protect the most important components (HDD at least. I presume the CPU and power components as well). Actually they're not advertising the roll cage in their newest models, I'm not sure if they removed it. The L-series does have worse build consistency, though.

 

In any event, I don't think the Macbook's worse noise and thermal characteristics will manifest unless you're gaming. My 2011 Macbook Air pretty much only turns on its fans when I fire up a game. They don't turn on even when I'm multitasking with 20 Chrome tabs open and word processing. Add in Photoshop to the mix and the fans start up, though. Macbooks are a versatile, well-balanced package and if you can afford them, they will probably function without major gripes. 

I'd still go for a ThinkPad for work. Macbooks are overhyped to the extreme. There's a reason companies hand out ThinkPads rather than macbooks to employees.

[Philosobyte]

I'd still go for a ThinkPad for work. Macbooks are overhyped to the extreme. There's a reason companies hand out ThinkPads rather than macbooks to employees.

Honestly I haven't seen any hype around for Macbooks. I agree that Thinkpads are better for work because the trackpoint, keyboard, and connectivity are the most important things in a work environment. But in my opinion, for business purposes, the Macbook is not far behind - I can live with the trackpad on the Macbook because it's currently the best trackpad on a laptop, I personally don't need that many ports, and I don't find the Macbook's keyboard to be far off from the Thinkpad's in terms of typing speed. IMO the Macbook is so much better for multimedia that if you plan on using the laptop with its speakers and screen, then the Macbook's superior multimedia capability outweighs the not-much-worse working experience. 

 

The only reason I've used a Macbook is because my school (which is actually fairly competent at technology, by the way) provided us with Macbooks over Thinkpads to replace horrible Probooks. They're phasing out the teachers' Elitebooks for Macbooks, too, I think. They're doing this because it's easier to maintain and crack down on security for the OS X platform than for Windows. I don't think they were doing it for the hardware - work and school don't care about your multimedia. 

[don_svetlio]

Honestly I haven't seen any hype around for Macbooks. I agree that Thinkpads are better for work because the trackpoint, keyboard, and connectivity are the most important things in a work environment. But in my opinion, for business purposes, the Macbook is not far behind - I can live with the trackpad on the Macbook because it's currently the best trackpad on a laptop, I personally don't need that many ports, and I don't find the Macbook's keyboard to be far off from the Thinkpad's in terms of typing speed. IMO the Macbook is so much better for multimedia that if you plan on using the laptop with its speakers and screen, then the Macbook's superior multimedia capability outweighs the not-much-worse working experience. 

 

The only reason I've used a Macbook is because my school (which is actually fairly competent at technology, by the way) provided us with Macbooks over Thinkpads to replace horrible Probooks. They're phasing out the teachers' Elitebooks for Macbooks, too, I think. They're doing this because it's easier to maintain and crack down on security for the OS X platform than for Windows. I don't think they were doing it for the hardware - work and school don't care about your multimedia. 

For the same price as a Macbook here you get this.

http://laptop.bg/laptops-lenovo-ThinkPad_X1_Carbon_2015-lenovo_thinkpad_x1_carbon_20BS006DBM

[don_svetlio]

Or this
http://laptop.bg/laptops-lenovo-ThinkPad_T450s-lenovo_thinkpad_t450s_20BX000TBM

[don_svetlio]

The AccuType keyboard on those is phenomenal. Nothing can even come close to it.

[A/C]

No you dont. The x1 retauls at 2.000USD, it would be the same if i paid retail for the macbook, but the macbook is 1000USD...

[A/C]

4500lev is 2500usd, why do you insist on machines that are more than twice my budget?

[don_svetlio]

4500lev is 2500usd, why do you insist on machines that are more than twice my budget?

I'm not talking to you, we are discussing something completely different.

Remove 20% VAT since tech here passes some pretty retarded taxes that increase price by 25%

 

No you dont. The x1 retauls at 2.000USD, it would be the same if i paid retail for the macbook, but the macbook is 1000USD...

Look for 2nd hand?